Music

Rolling Loud Unveils An Epic Recap Video For The Miami Edition Of Their Festival

by

This past summer, Rolling Loud became one of the first major music festivals to hold a showcase after the pandemic all but the industry down. The Miami edition of the festival took place in late July 23-25 at Hard Rock Stadium, boasting headlining performances from ASAP Rocky, Travis Scott, and Post Malone. Elsewhere Lil Baby, 21 Savage, DaBaby (as controversial as his set was), Young Thug, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Roddy Ricch, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay.

For those who were unable to attend the festival, Rolling Loud has an alternative: Organizers recently released an “aftermovie” that captured all the wild and fiery moments of the Miami show. The 10-minute video features many of the aforementioned names, as well as others like The Kid Laroi, City Girls, Lil Yachty, Rod Wave, Morray, and more.

The video arrives less than three weeks before festival organizers bring the showcase to New York for a festival headlined by J. Cole, Travis Scott, and 50 Cent. Other performers for the New York show include Lil Uzi Vert, Gunna, Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Lil Durk, Jack Harlow, Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, Polo G, Moneybagg Yo, Joey Badass, Playboi Carti, Wale, Young Dolph, and Griselda Records.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Paul McCartney Says John Lennon Instigated The Beatles’ Breakup

by
Getty Image

More than 50 years ago, The Beatles, came to an end after Paul McCartney announced that he would be walking away from the group. The band attempted to reunite on several occasions but it never happened, and in 1980 John Lennon was tragically assassinated. While it’s been noted that Lennon privately expressed a desire to walk away from the band before McCartney’s announcement, McCartney has long been blamed for the band’s breakup. During an upcoming interview on BBC Radio 4, McCartney pointed the finger elsewhere.

“I didn’t instigate the split. That was our Johnny,” McCartney said, according to The Guardian. “I am not the person who instigated the split. Oh no, no, no. John walked into a room one day and said I am leaving the Beatles. Is that instigating the split, or not?” He added that Lennon described his departure from The Beatles as “quite thrilling” and “rather like a divorce,” despite the fact that the other group members were “left to pick up the pieces.”

McCartney notes that confusion about who instigated the band’s dissolution was caused by the group’s new manager at the time, Allen Klein, who sought to wrap up some business deals before announcing the split. “So for a few months we had to pretend,” McCartney said. “It was weird because we all knew it was the end of the Beatles but we couldn’t just walk away.” McCartney admits he became “fed up of hiding it” and it led to his decision to publicly announce the split and “let the cat out of the bag.”

“I had to fight and the only way I could fight was in suing the other Beatles, because they were going with Klein. And they thanked me for it years later,” he said about the legal drama that ensued after the group’s split. “But I didn’t instigate the split. That was our Johnny coming in one day and saying ‘I’m leaving the group.’”

McCartney’s full interview on BBC Radio 4 will air on October 23

Megan Thee Stallion Slams Texas’ Abortion Bill After An Appeals Court Reinstated It

by
Getty Image

Megan Thee Stallion has extreme pride in her hometown of Houston as well as her home state of Texas, so it’s no surprise that the rapper is extremely vocal about the state’s controversial abortion bill. The law prohibits women who are more than six weeks pregnant from getting the procedure, and after the bill was upheld and reinstated by an appeals court, Megan Thee Stallion used her performance at the Austin City Limits festival over the weekend to speak out against the it and show support for her fellow Texans.

“This middle finger is also to these muthaf*ckin’ men that want to tell us what the f*ck to do with our body,” she told the ACL festival crowd according to local news station KXAN. “Cuz how the f*ck you gonna tell me what to do with my muthaf*ckin’ body? Drop that sh*t.”

The rapper doubled down on her stance against the bill in an Instagram post afterward. “Y’all know I’m a Texas girl and we deserve better!” she wrote in the post’s caption. “Politicians want to cut off abortion access and control our bodies, lives, and futures — I’m speaking up.”’

This comes after Megan was surprised by Miley Cyrus during the first weekend of the Austin City Limits festival. As the rapper performed on stage, Cyrus joined Megan to show off a few dance moves before returning backstage.

You can view her Instagram post above.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Kim Kardashian Turns Into A Judge And Rules On Family Drama On ‘SNL’

by

With Saturday Night Live’s 47th season underway, Kim Kardashian assumed the duty of host for its most recent episode. She began the night with an entertaining monologue that was received well by audience members. Later on in the night, Kim returned to participate in a courtroom sketch that found her taking the role of a judge while simultaneously playing her sister, Kourtney Kardashian. In the sketch, Kim somewhat delivers decisions on family matters which includes Kylie Jenner’s “overdue” baby, Kendall Jenner’s lack of drama, and Kanye West’s tweets.

In the sketch, Kris Jenner and Khloe Kardashian appear as themselves while other SNL cast members and guests assumed the role of Kardashian family members and friends. Halsey appeared as Kendall Jenner, Melissa Villaseñor as Kylie Jenner, Heidi Gardner as Kim Kardashian, and Mikey Day played Travis Barker. Chris Redd also appeared as Kanye West, Pete Davidson as Machine Gun Kelly, and Chloe Fineman as Megan Fox. All in all, it was an enjoyable sketch that poked fun at the Kardashian family and their friends.

Kim’s monologue was highlighted by her making jokes about her and Kanye West’s divorce earlier this year. “I mean, I married the best rapper of all time. Not only that, he’s the richest Black man in America, a talented, legit genius, who gave me four incredible kids,” she says. “So when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to just one thing: his personality.”

You can watch The People’s Kourt sketch in the video above.

Kim Kardashian Joked About Her Divorce From Kanye West In Her ‘SNL’ Monologue

by

We’re now into the second week of the 47th season of Saturday Night Live, and for this week’s episode, Kim Kardashian took on the hosting duties while Halsey arrived as the show’s musical guest. Kim, along with the rest of her family, are by far one of the most recognizable names in entertainment as they’ve amassed a huge following through several endeavors in the worlds of business, reality television, and more. Kardashian is no stranger to being on camera, so it’s no surprise that she delivered an entertaining and comical monologue to open the show.

One of the highlights came when she joked about her divorce from Kanye West. “I’ve been very blessed in this life, and I’m grateful for everything, honestly, all the ups, all the downs,” she said. “I mean, I married the best rapper of all time. Not only that, he’s the richest Black man in America, a talented, legit genius, who gave me four incredible kids. So when I divorced him, you have to know it came down to just one thing: his personality.”

She continued, “I know it sounds mean, but people keep telling me that comedy comes from truth. And if there’s one thing that I always strive to be, it’s genuine.”

Kardashian also joked about her family’s failed political campaigns, that being Kanye’s run for president and Caitlyn Jenner’s run for governor of California, as well as being “much more than that reference photo my sisters showed their plastic surgeons.”

You can watch the full monologue in the video above.

The Weeknd Is Now The United Nations’ World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador

by
Getty Image

Less than two years after arriving with After Hours, The Weeknd is just moments away from delivering his sixth album to the world. It’s the latest in increased activity from the singer such a short time after he dropped off his 2020 album. The shortlist of moments from him include winning the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award, continuing work on an upcoming HBO series, collaborating with artists like Kanye West, Doja Cat, and Belly, and winning a number of music awards after events like the Juno and Billboard Music Awards.

Next up for the singer comes a new role with the United Nations. The Weeknd was recently named The United Nations World Food Programme Goodwill Ambassador. The position was announced with a statement from the singer himself.

“The U.N. World Food Programme is doing urgent and important work to change and save lives on a daily basis and I feel passionately about addressing world hunger and helping people in need,” he said. “Our partnership is an authentic extension of all our efforts and intentions to help those in need and bring an end to so much suffering.”

The new position with The United Nations comes after a number of donations to humanitarian causes including $1 million to the U.N. World Food Programme’s work in Ethiopia. The Weeknd is of Ethiopian descent as his parents emigrated to Toronto before his birth.

“Whether he is performing or speaking out about global hunger, The Weeknd’s voice is powerful and inspiring, only matched by his dedication to helping people around the globe,” Barron Segar, CEO and President of World Food Program USA, said before adding, “We are honored that he has joined our mission.”

Machine Gun Kelly Says His ‘Born With Horns’ Album Will Be ‘More Guitar-Heavy’ And Lyrically ‘Deeper’

by
Getty Image

Machine Gun Kelly has found great success since he fully pivoted into the punk-rock lane with his 2020 album, Tickets To My Downfall. The project, which arrived after his rap-rock album, Hotel Diablo, became his first No. 1 album and his first Platinum-selling album. While some, like Slipknot’s Corey Taylor, are not too fond of his position in the rock world, Kelly is content on journeying further into the genre with his upcoming album, Born With Horns.

According to Billboard, during a recent interview on Sunday Today With Willie Geist, Kelly revealed what fans can expect on the new project, which features work with Travis Barker.

“It feels more guitar-heavy for sure, lyrically it definitely goes deeper – but I never like to do anything the same,” Kelly said. “Every album is a juxtaposition of the last album. So I went and studied ‘Tickets [To My Downfall]’, and I heard the bright sound that I had, and for this album I just turned the lights off.”

He added, “I’m not scared anymore, there’s nothing holding me back from being my true self – and my true self can’t be silenced, can’t be restrained. It’s a force, it’s like a hurricane. Can’t stop that, it just goes until it feels like stopping, and I don’t feel like stopping anytime soon.”

Kelly shared “Papercuts,” the lead single for Born With Horns, back in August with a Cole Bennett-directed video that featured an appearance from Travis Barker.

The entirety of Kelly’s interview on Sunday Today With Willie Geist premieres will air Sunday at 8 AM EST on NBC.

Kehlani And Russ Tease Fans With An Possible Joint Album

by
Getty Image

In 2020, Kehlani and Russ both took big steps in their careers. Kehlani dropped her second album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, which proved one of the most popular R&B projects of 2021. Russ, on the other hand, sharpened his artistry with Shake The Snow Globe. Now it looks like they may bless their respective fan bases with a collaborative album, which they teased on social media.

Kehlani kicked things off with a video of her and Russ at a party with the caption “a mixtape or ? @russ.” Afterward, a Kehlani fan page reposted the video on their Twitter account with the caption “MAKE IT HAPPEN. @Kehlani x @russdiemon via Kehlani IG Stories.” Russ responded, “Russ x Kehlani project [eye emoji].”

The upcoming project would not be the first time two have worked together. Last summer, they teamed up on “Take You Back” collaboration and its elegant music video. Until the potential project’s arrival, fans can keep an eye open for Kehlani’s upcoming third album, Blue Water Road as well as additional singles from Russ, who’s dropped a new song on a weekly basis since the beginning of May.

Kehlani is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

R. Kelly’s Streaming Numbers Took A Massive Leap Despite His Recent Conviction

by
Getty Image

R. Kelly was recently found guilty of kidnapping, racketeering, and sexual exploitation of a child during his trial in a Brooklyn court. The ruling came after seven weeks of shocking and graphic testimonies from witnesses. The conviction resulted in the removal of Kelly’s YouTube channel. Unfortunately, that did not stopa boost in his streaming numbers. According to Rolling Stone, Kelly experienced a “double-digit growth” in his streaming numbers and a “triple-digit growth” in sales.

The publication noted that from September 27 to October 3, Kelly’s on-demand audio streams increased by 22 percent and his video streams went up by 23%. His album sales jumped 517% while his streaming numbers went from 11.2 million to 13.4 million during this period. This uptick will certainly take a hit now that his YouTube account has been removed, a spokesperson for the company explained to Bloomberg. “We can confirm that we have terminated two channels linked to R. Kelly in accordance with our creator responsibility guidelines,” they said in a statement.

This comes after his honorary “key to the city” in Baton Rouge was revoked following his guilty verdict. Baton Rouge Metro Council member Denise Marcelle, who gave the singer the key back in 2013, expressed her “regrets” for even awarding it to him in the first place.

Mick Jenkins’ ‘Contacts’ Video Has An Unexpected Twist At The End

by

Where most rappers have to arrive at a crossroads in their career before deconstructing themselves on a record, 30 year old Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins has made a career out of doing so constantly. On his fourth album, Elephant In The Room, due out later this month, he opens up once again with conversations about both himself and the world around him.

With the just-released “Contacts,” he floats over a clean-hitting, contemplative beat produced by Rascal, Tae Beast and Eli Brown spitting “Stretching out, my shoulders wide / All my burdens boulder size,” before the cognizant punctuation on the hook that “Real eyes realize real lies, help me see the truth.” In the song’s video (above) directed by Ren, he takes his clone hostage before an unexpected twist at the end that can’t be missed.

Jenkins shared some thoughts on the upcoming album:

“From my estranged relationship with my father to friendships that don’t feel the same anymore to the even more basic idea of acknowledging that I need help. We become accustomed to allowing none progressive qualities and truths to occupy so much space in our lives simply by ignoring them, or ignoring them despite them being right in our faces! I intend to face several of those dormant issues/topics head-ons in the hopes that others can, at the very least, identify with the spaces I’ve grown from.”

Elephant In The Room is out October 29th via Cinematic Music Group. Peep the tracklist below.

Elephant In The Room Track List

1. The Valley of the shadow of death Prod. Tee-Watt, Thelonious Martin & renzell
2. Things you can die for Feat. Ben Hixon Prod. By renzell
3. Stiff Arm Feat. Ayinde Cartman Prod. By renzell
4. Contacts Prod. By Rascal, Tae Beast & Eli Brown
5. Scottie Pippen Prod. By Kiran Kai (Additional Production by Otto Maralot, Oscar Jerome Laurence, Jack Polley, Joe Armon-Jones & Oliver Simeon Sarkar Samuels)
6. Gucci Tried to tell me Prod. By Lophiile
7. D.U.I Feat. Green SLlime Prod. By Tee-Watt
8. Speed racer Prod. By Saba (Background vocals by Tiffany Lance)
9. Truffles Prod. By renzell & Monte Booker
10. Is, this Cigarette Prod. By Tee-Watt & LeRoyce (Additional Production by Otto Maralot)
11. Reflection Prod. By renzell
12. Rug Burn Feat. Serpent with Feet Prod. By Tee-Watt